Barcelona prepares to welcome the Kings

Barcelona is ready to receive the Three Kings with all the solemnity and pomp the occasion demands. As is customary, the Kings will arrive in the Catalan capital from the sea, aboard the Santa Eulàlia sailing ship, around 4pm. Two hours later, with each King on a float, they will begin their tour of the city, starting out from the Marquès de l’Argentera avenue and ending around 9pm on the Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia avenue, at the foot of Montjuïc mountain. During this time, there will be major cuts to traffic, with official advice being to use the metro system if possible, on which more trains will be in operation to meet the expected peak in demand.

The Barcelona cavalcade is one of the city’s key public spectacles, featuring circus acts, dance and music, as it makes its way through the streets. This year’s procession is composed of 12 main blocs and will feature 1,157 participants, including more than 200 professional dancers and actors along with 400 students of various artistic disciplines. Also taking part will be more than 300 volunteers from a variety of associations, and some 200 people chosen by lottery from more than 1,900 applications to make up the Kings’ retinue. An estimated seven tonnes of sweets will be thrown to the watching crowds throughout the royal tour of the city.

Among the novelties this year, King Gaspar will debut a new float with an eye-catching design, while the four-metre high puppet known as El Senyor Hivern i el seu Gran llibre de les Petites Coses, which has already been seen in a number of events in Barcelona over this Christmas period, will head the procession. Meanwhile, another giant figure, El Carboner, will bring proceedings to a close, reminding the little ones that they must be good if they hope Their Majesties will stop off at their houses to leave them gifts tonight.